What's the Significance of 11/11?

Find yourself glancing at the time more often at the time 11:11 or the date 11/11? You're not alone. Some people feel haunted by the number everywhere they go, claiming it's a nod from angels or a mystical sign of eleven's importance in math and science.

But think of a word you learned the meaning of just recently. You probably see that word everywhere now. Or pretend that the number 4359 has supernatural significance and it'll begin to appear mysteriously, too.

Psychologists call this apophenia, or applying meaning to randomly occurring data, where none really exists. Apophenia feeds on itself, which is why 11:11 — with a long standing in pop culture and twice-per-day airplay on clocks — seems so important to so many. Simply put, the more conscious we are of something, the more we'll notice it around us. Maybe it's time to switch it up?

Editor's Recommendations

Heather Whipps

Heather Whipps writes about history, anthropology and health for Live Science. She received her Diploma of College Studies in Social Sciences from John Abbott College and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from McGill University, both in Quebec. She has hiked with mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and is an avid athlete and watcher of sports, particularly her favorite ice hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens. Oh yeah, she hates papaya.